Put the Electronic Parking Brake into Service Mode

Last updated: June 12, 2026

The Hyundai Santa Fe (Mk4/TM, 2018–2023) uses an electronic parking brake acting on the rear calipers, so changing the rear pads means first commanding the EPB into service (maintenance) mode. Until those rear motors are wound back, the pistons stay loaded and there is no room to compress them — force one and you damage the actuator gearset.

What service mode does and why you need it

Each rear caliper on the TM Santa Fe carries an electric motor that drives a spindle to clamp the disc for parking. Because the spindle still rests against the piston when the car is parked, you can’t simply push the piston back. Service mode retracts both rear motors fully, parks the pistons clear and disables the auto-apply logic so the system won’t re-clamp while you’re working.

Be straight about the tooling: there is no owner button sequence for the Santa Fe TM. Hyundai’s manual covers only normal apply and release; the documented way into service mode is through the OBD-II diagnostic port with a scan tool that supports the Hyundai EPB / brake-maintenance function (iCarsoft CR Pro, Autel AP200, Topdon, XTool and similar carry it). On the 2019–2021 cars in particular, owners and technicians confirm there is no scan-tool-free maintenance procedure, so don’t chase a hold-the-switch myth.

1. Park on level ground, chock the front wheels and leave the gear selector in P.
2. Turn the ignition ON without starting the engine so the EPB control unit is powered.
3. Plug the scan tool into the OBD-II port under the dash and open the EPB / chassis-brake menu.
4. Select EPB – Service / Maintenance Mode – Enter. Both rear motors wind back and stop; the EPB warning lamp stays lit to show the system is open.
5. Remove the rear wheels, slide the caliper off and wind/press the pistons back. They retract with normal effort once the motors are clear.

Critical warning: never force the rear pistons back by hand or with a clamp while the EPB is applied. The spindle must be retracted electronically first. Driving a loaded piston backwards strips the motor gears and can seize the caliper — turning a routine pad swap into a costly actuator replacement.

If you have no scan tool, the documented fallback is to unbolt the EPB motor from the caliper and hand-wind the spindle clear with a hex key. Do not just unplug the connector and lever the piston — that can latch a fault that needs a dealer to clear.

To exit: with the new pads fitted and the caliper torqued, select Service Mode – Exit on the tool so the motors re-clamp onto the thicker pads (some tools instead prompt an ignition cycle plus one EPB apply). Then bed in: pump the brake pedal firmly until it’s hard, cycle the EPB switch up and down to confirm grip and release, then drive gently and make several moderate 30–40 mph stops to seat the pads before any hard braking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my 2018–2023 Santa Fe have an EPB? Yes — the TM Santa Fe uses the console EPB switch across the range rather than a handbrake lever, so this procedure applies to all of them.

Can I do this without a scan tool? Not through any factory owner sequence — there isn’t one. Use an EPB-capable OBD tool, or physically remove the caliper motor to wind the spindle back by hand.

Why does the EPB warning light come on? It stays lit while service mode is active, by design. After you exit service mode and apply the brake once, it should go out; if it stays on, re-scan for codes.

Can I leave the ignition off and just retract the motors with 12V? Some DIYers feed the motor 12V to drive the spindle, but it’s easy to drive it past its stop or to leave the module out of sync. The scan-tool route is safer and resets the system cleanly.

Is bleeding required after pads only? No. A pad-only change keeps the hydraulic circuit sealed, so just pump the pedal to take up clearance and bed the new pads.

If a brake or EPB warning lamp stays on after the job, check the stored fault before driving — our sister site autodtcs.com explains what each OBD-II trouble code means.